Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!tektronix!cae780!leadsv!pyramid!voder!kontron!optilink!cramer
From: cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: The GNU Manifesto
Message-ID: <1886@optilink.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jan 88 16:53:16 GMT
References: <9591@tekecs.TEK.COM> <328@splut.UUCP> <3144@briar.Philips.Com> <610@gethen.UUCP> <1298@gumby.cs.wisc.edu>
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA
Lines: 35

> >>But suffice it to say the the keyboard, the display hardware, and the
> >>WP software available are, to put it succinctly, miserable. This is not
> >>an idiosyncratic, cranky opinion. It is one shared by many, many people who
> >>have had to use this piece of sh*t to do word-processing.
> > 
> I work in an enviroment that is virtually overwhelmed with the presence
> of IBM PCs.  fortunately, we do not have to rely upon them, as we also
> have other machines.  It is my job to help people that come into my lab
> use the machine of their choice with software and peripherals.  In terms
> of comparative returns for money spent on hardware, and in terms of
> efficeincy for the users of my lab, the IBM PC is a dismal failure.  
> Superficially, the machine has some advantages.  The software is relatively
> straight-forward, the features broad, the interface, if not pleasant, at 
> least not cumbersome.  Indeed, I have dozens of people come in a week, with
> Superficially, the machine has some advantages.  The software is relatively
> straight forward, and the interface is, If not pleasant, at least bearable.  
> projects ranging from one page resumes to 500 page Phd thesis's come through
> my lab, and most of them are competantly produced and entered.  Perhaps one
> time in ten things will work smoothly, their file will print, and they will
> go their merry way, unknowing that they have narrowly escaped the IBM pit.
> for the other nine tenths, however, it is a different story.  Their document
> can be printed, but it yeilds different margins than those set so clearly
> in the software, the software is uncapable of laser-printing, the footnotes
> don't print, underlining, italics, boldfacing doesn't work.  And heaven
> forbid, the want to use a nice typestyle, something proportianally spaced!
> No, if an IBM PC user (though not an expert, I admit) wishes to to print
> his document, he is doomed to courier 12-point 10-pitch.

See Microsoft Word for good support  of HP and PostScript laser printers.
See practically any word processing package you can name for support for
proportionally spaced print.  Perhaps you are confusing the deficiencies
of your printers with the PC.  You *are* confusing the deficiencies of the
software that is in use at your site with a deficiency of the computer.

Clayton E. Cramer